Democratic Front’s (DF) official translator charged by state investigators with being part of a group organising a terrorist attack on 16 October against the state has left extradition detention in Russia. Ananije Nino Nikic has also been relieved of the obligation to report to Russian authorities, several sources have confirmed to Pobjeda newspaper.
The National Interpol Bureau in Podgorica issued an arrest warrant for Nikic in February over reasonable doubt that he participated in planning terrorist attacks.
Several weeks later, on 2 April, Nikic was caught and arrested in Russia. He was in extradition detention until recently.
Since that time the Montenegrin government has had no further information on Nikic and Podgorica has received no response to its request for international legal aid in the issue.
The same thing happens when it comes to Montenegrin authorities’ request related to Eduard Shishmakov (a member of the Russian GRU military security service) and Vladimir Popov. The two Russian citizens are suspected of being organisers of the criminal group which plotted against the highest-ranking state officials.
Investigators have become interested in Ananije Nikic, after former Serbian intelligence officer Slavko Nikic claimed that he was offered to be one of the key organisers of the group that was supposed to “create chaos in Montenegro”, but that he refused that.
On 21 January, in an interview with Happy TV, Slavko Nikic said that on late spring 2016, Ananije Nino Nikic visited him along with a man who introduced himself as an FSB agent asking him to do a job for “friends from Russia”.
Investigators suspect that the agent was Vladimir Popov (36), who is wanted in Montenegro.
According to Montenegrin investigators, Nikic left Montenegro on 9 November 2016. The media reported on his whereabouts in Russia.
Investigation team lead by chief special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic separated the case against Nikic from the case against other 14 suspects for crating criminal organisation and terrorism attempt.
During the six month investigation, Katnic faced obstructions and insults coming from Democratic Front leaders.
Despite the obstructions, Katnic issued a 129 page indictment and explained roles of all the group members.
The hearing in the case has been postponed twice. According to Pobjeda, defence attorneys will try to put of the hearing scheduled for 6 September in order to prolong the beginning of the trial.
The hearing will be live broadcasted on three Montenegrin TV stations.
In addition to Shishmakov and Popov, the SDT’s indictment includes Serbian citizens Milos Jovanovic, Nemanja Ristic, Predrag Bogicevic, Bratislav Dikic, Kristina Hristic, Branka Milic, Milan Dusic, Dragan Maksic, Srboljub Djordjevic; three Montenegrin citizens – Democratic Front’s (DF) leaders Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, and DF driver Mihailo Cadjenovic.
